The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-05-27
TEA STORES TOYS.
oueeR DISCOVERIES MADE BY AN
lNousl1We NEWSPAPER MAN.

III. I.tes, Thing In Mechanical Toys-In
Demand by the Tea stores-rhe cheap
cbromo Craze and the "ift busi-
ness.
Tho latest thing in mechanical toys can 10
=. o,o ar two stores on Broadway
r7.ced IN the show windows, the toy attracts
-, cro,yds II is Of German origin, and 1t
ct Inade lis appearance here before tine mol
i8avs II represents an old man IN dressing
,,o,yr and nightcap endeavoring toannihilate
yifl, something that looks like a tennis
Ia, What tcllcs the risibiliues oi the al
,,Irine, crowd outside the window is the ex-
,,r,.ssiou Of abiect disappointment on the old
,non's face ms he strikes where the rat ought
70 be-. The toy when wound up VIII a','"c,
a crowd and keep pckpockets busy Tor about
two hours.
Curiosity impellod the writer 70 seek some
information about the origin and price OF
,bis man and rat combination. He did not
intend TO purchase Being married man he
cots arats7 M home at first cost A young
man further description Of him is unneces-
sorv h. was Broadway clerk-smiled and
,ulled ont "A pad as though he was about 70
t.ke an order when informed that curios-
itv was the object Of bis visit his suaviiy did
not desert Mm-he was still Broadway
clerk
The courteous clerk explained that bis chief
,mrorted half dozen of the toys last year
They cost about &C. each, and were 'old nj
from 8 10 $40 lie continued Our hIln'
having "a toy factory, resolved % ma WORK
men In this country capable of making the
same kind Of mechanism. They succeeded
and now tho TOYS are made 40 cost OF about
$50 a dozen"
BUYERS OF TEA AND COFFEE
"Do you sell many
dyes. as fast as we can manufacture.
few DAYS ago we had an order for fifty from
western retail tea store"
aWhat would a tea store want with such
things"
"Tbev give them away 20 purchasers OF tea
and coffee These tea men nowadays give
AWAY many things in our line. We sell them
dolls toilet sets. boxes Of paints, and many
other knickknacks Just 90 up 20 Grand
street and see what they have in their win
dows 10 give away 10 customers
Thanking the urbane Broadway clerk. the
reporter wendell his way 10 Grand street 20
find out how tea stores can afford 10 be SO
liberal
In due time he stepped into a store, tho
leading tint Of which was vermilion. There
was nothing 10 distinguish the interior from
a crOckery store except the yermihOn and
strong odor Of roasted coffee. The reporter
approached man who presided over the cash
desk and wore a polo cap and a sweet smile,
and who proved 10 be- the manager Of the
concern. and asked how tea stores could be so
lavish with cr0ckery and such things 10 their
patrons
"Some years ago" said the wearer Of the
polo can. ga house I'm this city began giving
away cheap chromos That was tho begin.
ming Of the evil Their trade increased for
in those days people We're chrome crazy. The
introduction " glassware and cr0ckery had
its origin i'm the inventive brain Of man who
is now very wealthy and is in business ON
Second avenue ] wish he was In Jericho.
Then began sharp competition Each tea
man We'd with the others in inventing some
new fake 20 each the foolish housekesper.
The customers when posted in this gift enter
prise business became very exactng. ]
shouldn't Doe surprised some day 20 hear
lady asking for a ton of coal or piano after
purchasing five pounds Of tea.
BASIS or THE BUSINESS.
"With every purchase Of tea and coffee We
give tickets i'm this way With one pound Of
fifty cent tea or with two pounds of thirty
cent coffee we give one whole ticket Thi, l.
the basis Some articles that We give away
such as lamps and clocks rcquire as many
as twenty-five fun tickets. One ticket ON am
average is equal 10 from six to eight cents of
the profits
"Your profits must be pretty large to per
init Of such lherality,' suggested the re.
porter
"Well, now don't mind telling YOU since
YOU seem anxious Our teas at fifty cents a
pound cost us about twenty-one cents and
cur coffee at thirty cents when we sell il
ground, stands us about twelve cents apound:
so, You see, even though we are liberal, we
will make a large profit
"You say when you sell the coffee ground
"That's what ] said You see, chickory,
rye, and peas do not cost as much as coffee
"Aud where do they come inN
"Ah, | see You are not on 70 many Of the
tricks Of our trade Don't you know that
when we sell ground coffee nearly half of it
IS chickory, rye, and peas' Great Scott
man, how do You think we are going TO live
and give an eight day clock with ten whole
tickets"
"Do YOU adulterate your teas, too"
"Well, no; that would not pay You see
We mix coffee and blend teas BY blending |
mean we mix good, bad, and middlmg TO
gether, call it some outlandish combination
or chop and lie! her 60 New York Her
aid